First-ever bald eagle nest discovered in Toronto, conservation authority confirms
For the first time ever, a bald eagle’s nest has been discovered in Toronto, the city’s conservation authority confirmed Thursday.
The news comes less than one year after Ontario removed the regal bird from its “at-risk” species list.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) can confirm this is the first documented Bald Eagle nest in Toronto,” Afiya Jilani, spokesperson for the TRCA, said in an email to CTV News Toronto.
However, bird lovers are being asked not to go searching for the rare sight and its location is not being disclosed “in any way,” says the TRCA.
“Bald eagles are sensitive creatures, particularly during their nesting period. It would be a disservice to draw public attention to them at this time,” Jilani said. “It's crucial to maintain their habitat as it is during a sensitive time and to prioritize their welfare, especially in the early stages of the nesting process.”
The secrecy surrounding the location of the nest may come as a surprise to some, but is easily explained by the fact bald eagles were almost wiped out of existence in Ontario half a century ago due to the use of pesticides.
The insecticide DDT was especially harmful to eagle’s nests and eggs and has since been banned in Canada and the U.S.
Bald eagles were placed on the province’s “at-risk” species list for about 50 years as its population in the province dwindled. The bird was classified as one of “special concern” under the Endangered Species Act.
Since then, the bird was taken off the list and Ontario’s environment ministry said the bald eagle has thrived to about 2,600 nests as of May 2023.
Then Environment Minister David Piccini called the eagle’s reclassification as a “not at-risk” species in the province “a big win for Ontario.”
“I mean, talk to anyone now they are starting to see them again,” he said in an interview with CTV News Toronto at the time.
Bald eagles typically nest in large trees near a major lake or river, where they do most of their hunting, and are widely distributed throughout North America, according to the Ontario environment ministry. They’re known to feed on fish, but can easily catch ducks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.